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Key West Bank Reef
The coral reef of the Florida Keys stretches 358 miles from the Dry Tortugas National Park to the St. Lucie Inlet in Martin County. There are three major types of coral reefs around the world. These are atolls, fringing reefs, and barrier reefs. The reef here in the Florida Keys closely resembles a barrier reef, […]
Everything to Know About Dolphins in Key West
Key West’s waters are teeming with dolphins. Nothing compares to the thrill of seeing these friendly, playful creatures frolic in the wild. Whether it’s on a dolphin watching excursion, a snorkel trip out to the reef or a sunset sail through the harbor, there’s always a chance of spotting a pod of dolphins surfing through […]
Whale Shark Awareness
Though Whale Sharks are the largest fish on the planet, these “gentle giants” are filter-feeders and therefore are harmless to humans. Being a filter-feeder means these large creatures (which can reach over 40 ft.) feed on tiny ocean organisms- plankton. These fish have skeletons made entirely of cartilage, rather than bone like the majority of […]
How Can I Help My Reef?
Our coral reefs support more species than any other marine environment. Countless numbers of animals rely on coral reefs for survival. Many of the world’s reefs have already been destroyed or severely damaged by a range of human activities: pollution, unsustainable fishing practices, and global climate change. However, if we act now we can still […]
Fun Facts About Florida Stone Crabs & Spiny Lobsters
Key West’s waters are teeming with fascinating marine life. While the coral reef off the coast of Key West is home to a beautiful array of tropical fish, there are other underwater creatures lurking about. This is where Florida’s stone crabs and spiny lobsters come into play. These crustaceans hide within coral caves or dock […]
Goliath Grouper
The adult fish is generally brownish yellow, gray, or olive with small dark spots on head, body, and fins to help blend in to their rocky coral and muddy inshore habitat (waters up to 150 ft). Three or four irregular faint vertical bars are present of the sides of individuals less than 3 feet in […]
Queen Conch
The Queen Conch produces a large spiral shell with “spines” on it. These spines are thought to be for protection, but to human touch they are dull and non-threathening. The conch’s shell has a wide lip that has a rich pink color. Inside the shell is where the head stays which has two pairs of […]
Fun Facts About Blue Tang Fish
The blue tang is typically found on reefs in high current areas so that they can feed on zooplankton. Blue tangs are easy to spot due to their bright coloration. They are typically a vibrant blue with a yellow tail. They have two black lines. One lines the fish form the eye, along the back, […]
The Burmese Python In Florida and The Everglades
The importation and keeping of Burmese Pythons in Florida has led to some rather serious problems. People who no longer wish to care for their pythons, or whose pythons have grown too large to be kept in their houses, have been known to release their pets into the wild rather than have them re-homed or […]
Guidelines for Catch & Release Fishing
Decide beforehand which fish are to be kept and immediately release all others. Fish with barbless hooks or crimp and remove the barb. There’s no significant difference or mortality between catching fish with barbed/barbless hooks. The advantages of barbless hooks are: reduces time needed to dehook the fish, and less physical damage to the fish […]
